Dr. Dawna Ara is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and a Registered Nurse dedicated to providing integrative, patient-centered care.
Her healthcare journey began in 2001 as a massage therapist, where she developed a strong foundation in anatomy, physiology, and hands-on healing. Inspired by her studies of Shiatsu and Tuina, she pursued advanced training in Chinese medicine and earned her Master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 2009. She later completed advanced training in post-stroke rehabilitation at Tianjin University in China and earned her Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Health and Science.
To further expand her clinical expertise, Dawna earned her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and gained experience as a Registered Nurse at UCHealth. Since 2016, she has worked extensively with veterans, helping address chronic pain, insomnia, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other complex health concerns.
Drawing from both Eastern and Western medicine, Dr. Ara utilizes acupuncture, dry needling, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, and lifestyle medicine to help patients reduce pain, improve function, and achieve lasting wellness. While both acupuncture and dry needling use thin, sterile needles, dry needling specifically targets tight muscles and trigger points to relieve pain and restore mobility, whereas acupuncture addresses both local symptoms and whole-body health by supporting the body’s natural healing processes.
Dr. Nelson earned his Doctoral degree from Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, MN. He has also completed the necessary coursework and exams to be a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner (CCSP), which allows him to treat the highest level of athletes. This has led him to work with Team USA athletes and travel with Team USA Wrestling as part of the Sports Medicine Staff since 2021. Also, team Chiropractor for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
